


Because I Could Not Stop For Death

by Souless_Robot



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Ashes Scene in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, BAMF Hela (Marvel), Big Sis Hela, Canonical Character Death, Fix-It, Gen, Happy Ending, Infinity Gauntlet, Loki has a plan, Odin (Marvel)'s A+ Parenting, Poor Thor (Marvel), Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), The post Ashes scene reunion we all deserve, What Loki was doing in that scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-04-30 14:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14498916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Souless_Robot/pseuds/Souless_Robot
Summary: Warning Infinity War SpoilersLoki has a plan. Sometimes all you need to kill a Mad Titan is a Goddess of Death.





	1. He Kindly Stopped For Me

Loki knew as soon as he saw the Black Order’s ship looming on the horizon that he didn’t have much time and limited time quickly became no time.

The onslaught began.

It was complete chaos. The ship was split in half as the enemy ship rammed into them. His people shrieked as they were torn from the ship and tossed into the cold recesses of space. Thanos himself soon followed with his minions striking down Asgardians left and right as they fled. Thor, Valkyrie and the gladiators on the remaining half of the ship rushed straight into the slaughter trying to hold back the enemy long enough for the civilians to flee. Loki didn't lift a finger to help. He knew Thanos, it would be of no use.

He needed a plan. He cursed viciously under his breath as he slunk into the shadows.  _Think! Think!_ He willed himself. Even with the Tesseract in hand, Loki couldn't use it well enough to best Thanos, not when he already had the power stone firmly tucked into his golden gauntlet. No, whatever he did he needed to play the long game. Lose now to win later. Thank the Norns he had experience in that realm. If only Thanos had come a bit earlier, then Hela and him would have sorted themselves out and the rest of them could have escaped. Hela would have—

His brain stopped. That. That was it. Loki breathed in. They needed Hela. A shiver ran down his spine just thinking of her. His sister’s final guttural scream as she struggled alone against Suter echoed in his mind. A plan began to take shape in his head.

Oh, this would be a tricky piece of magic indeed.

“The Tesseract or your brother’s head. I assume you have a preference.” Thanos ordered his hand squeezing Thor’s head.

“Hah,” Thor breathed out, “If that’s what you’re after we don’t have it the Tesseract was destroyed with Asgard!”

Thor took in the shared look between Loki and Thanos. His eyes widened as he realized the truth.

“Kill away.” Loki shot out, trying his best to look uncaring. Thanos drove the power stone against Thor’s head and the screaming began. They were bloodcurdling sounds, Thor should not be making those sounds. His vocal chords seemed to be rearranging themselves and Loki just couldn’t take it, “Enough. Enough.”

I’m so sorry brother, Loki prayed silently, I thought I was strong enough. That I could be the hero and make this sacrifice, but I will always be greedy.

Blood dribbled down Thor’s lips, splattering to the floor.

"I have it." Loki flexed his hand and the Tesseract fell from where he had safely tucked in between dimensions, "Take it." He said holding it out to Thanos.

“Wise choice.” The Titan said, dropping Thor to the ground in a bloody heap. Thanos took the cube and crushed it, gently slipping the blue space stone into his gauntlet.

“We’re done here balance has been obtained.” Thanos started to walk away.

“Wait,” Loki called, “If you’re returning to Earth you’ll need a guide.” Loki held his arms wide in a welcoming greeting.

“And you think your failure makes you a worthy guide?” Ebony Maw sneered.

“I think my experience makes me a worthy guide. Unless any of you can claim to have been to the planet before?” Loki asked staring down each of the Order’s members.

"You're just the worst brother." Thor gasped out. That, that stung. It stung to know his brother might die thinking so little of him. But if he made it, if they both made it, he would thank him later. Thor went to spit more venom, but Maw waved his hand and the metal from the hull wrapped itself around his brother silencing him and binding him in place. All Thor could do was watch. That was probably for the best this would be hard enough as it was.

"Brother, I promise you the sun will shine on us again," Loki said. This time that would be a promise he would give his life to keep. Loki turned slowly back to where Thanos was looking at the two of them, a thoughtful look on his face.

“And why should I trust you little Asgardian?” Thanos asked cocking his head to the side. Loki could tell his audacity had caught the Titan’s interest momentarily.

"Because I am not Asgardian and I shall swear it to you." Loki took a knee, "I, Loki son of Odin rightful ruler of Jotunheim," His eyes met Thor's as his brother stilled when he realized what he was about to do. He summoned his dagger, "Swear my undying fealty to you." Sorry, Thor, I hope to see you again brother with that he stabbed upwards towards Thanos's neck.

“You should have chosen your words more wisely trickster,” Thanos chuckled, his gem stopping the knife mere inches from his jugular, “Undying was far too much even for you.”

Thanos lashed out with his other arm wrapping his fingers around Loki's neck. He couldn't breathe. The fingers tightened. He vaguely heard muffled thrashing coming from Thor's direction. That was his brother valiant to the last, but he didn't dare try to face the look of horror on Thor's face.

With the last of Loki's energy, he glared at the Titan willing all his magic into one final spell, "You… you will never be a god." He choked out. Then there was a snap, and everything faded to black.

 


	2. The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and his sister meet and have a long chat.

Loki awoke to find himself lying face down on the rocky ground. He pushed himself over and sat up with a groan as he took in his surroundings. He was in a great cavern with frost and ice resting across everything. He let out a long sigh and watched his warm breath crystallize as it floated up. Thank the Norns he was a frost giant under his Aesir form, else the penetrating cold might well make this journey worse than death.

Loki stood slowly his muscles protesting his movement. It appeared the spell to carry his essence to Helheim had worked. He'd never visited this realm before, but when he was younger and had worried which of the realms of death he might one day find himself in, he'd been borderline obsessed about finding a way out of Hel should he ever end there. Hel was far too much like Jotunheim and freezing for him to wish to spend eternity there. He let out a laugh if only he'd known then what he knew now.

“I wouldn’t have thought you’d be in such happy mood after you helped destroy our planet,” a voice rang out behind him and Loki turned around slowly to find Hela peering down at him. She was seated on a grandiose throne carved into the wall of the cave.

He gulped, well he had hoped to find the goddess of death, this was just sooner than expected.

“I must admit I didn’t expect to see you here so soon. And crashing right into my throne room, you do have guts,” Hela’s smile was all teeth and Loki let out a breath, “I do believe I’ll enjoy this.” She twitched her fingers and a sword appeared in her hand, her grin widened.

Loki couldn’t help but think that now might be a good time to beat a hasty retreat. But, then again, he was in her realm and if Hela was anything like Thor she would probably enjoy a good hunt. Better to not make himself easy prey.

“Wait,” He said raising his hand, Hela paused looking him over. Bold words would serve him better than lies for this he needed to keep her attention, “I need your help.”

She barked out an uneven laugh, "You do have a sense of humor wherein the nine did you get that from?"

Loki continued, “There is a madman-”

Hela cut him off, "Who said I wanted to hear your pitiful story? Why would I help you with anything you traitor to the throne?" She snarled and rose. She leaped at him and struck down with her sword, driving it into his arm. Loki hissed. All he wanted was one time when he reunited with his siblings where he didn't get stabbed, electrocuted, or threatened with a hammer was that too much to ask?

“You’re in my realm now. I am Queen here. You have no right to request anything. You should be on your knees begging me for mercy.” Loki frowned, he knelt for no one and he certainly didn’t beg, Hela saw his look of displeasure, “I could torture you for an eternity here. Torture you until you forgot your very name.” She mused as she summoned a second sword and held it to his neck. She had an unnerving look on her face, the type of look people usually got when they thought about all the ways that would get rid of him.

An involuntary shiver ran down Loki's back. He knew this would be tricky. Time to test his title of silver-tongued.

“You won’t do any of that.” He said with conviction.

She looked him up and down before she stepped back and vanished her weapons. Loki kept his face passive as he reached up to put pressure on his bleeding arm.

"You only have my interest because as you can tell there's very little else in this realm. So, tell me, little god, where do you get your confidence from? Why should I not end you for a second time?"

Loki steadied himself and sat up as he looked Hela in the eye, “Because sister, I know what you truly desire.”

An ugly look ghosted over her face for a moment before disappearing. Good, he'd touched something, he needed to make her unbalanced.

“I stand by what I said before,” Hela said her lips curling in distaste, “Our other brother may look more like Father, but you, you sound exactly like him.”

Loki needed to wrap this up quickly he could already tell his chances of getting out of Helheim were getting slimmer by the second. Now was not the time to pull his punches, “A glorious death in battle,” Loki commented smoothly, “A true death to end your curse.” Hela stepped towards him again and Loki didn’t dare stop talking, “You see you played Thor. I should know I’ve done it enough times. Hit all the right buttons: killed his friends, tore up Asgard, and threatened to takeover over the galaxy.  It must burn you that he came so close, destroyed all of Asgard in the hopes of killing you and then you wake up here, banished to this accursed realm unable to truly die so unable to truly reach Valhalla.” Loki finished.

"You are clever," Hela said quietly.

"When Thor hit you with that blast of lightning I realized what it must be. You are cursed with true immortality, the eternal flame your magic, even Asgard itself would never let you die because life always needs death. Anyone else, even me without a magic shield would have been reduced to ash when Thor struck, but you walked it off like it was nothing."

“Are your praises intended to mean something to me?” She asked flatly, crossing her arms across her chest.

Loki ignored her, “How long have you been alive?”

“Long enough,” She growled, “What I want or didn’t want doesn’t matter now. If Odin’s golden child didn’t even have the power to do it, it really is hopeless.” She said resigned, “I’ll be trapped in here until all the universe fades. Bound to this worthless place.”

"Not necessarily." Loki said thoughtfully, "You don't know Thor as well as I do, he was certainly angry and vengeful, but even then, if you had given him any other option he would have taken it. He is stupidly soft-hearted. You should have asked me to kill you. I would have had no such qualms. As for being trapped here, I learned to walk the invisible paths between realms long ago. If you agree to help I can take you with me and when this is all over I will find a way to undo your immortality."

“Do not make me empty promises brother I’ve heard quite enough of those from Odin.” She hissed, suddenly a sword was pressed across his neck, “Help me conquer other realms my daughter,” She mimicked, “Surely someone out there must have the power to end you. If not, I shall do it myself when the time comes. Where is Odin now? He locked me away! I did everything he asked, and he couldn’t even hold up his end of the bargain!” She clenched her fist and pillars of earth began to rise and shatter. Pieces of rock flew across the cavern and Loki raised his good arm over his head.

“Odin was a king of lies who sat on a golden throne of lies!” Loki agreed, trying to calm her down as the cavern rumbled, “He probably loved you too much to kill you himself, but found no other way to do it.” Loki realized as soon as he finished that this was exactly the wrong thing to say.

“LOVE?!” Hela screeched, “ODIN DIDN” T KNOW THE MEANING OF THAT WORD!”

Loki could barely see Hela through the raining rock, "Enough Sister! Yes, Odin was a terrible Father." Loki yelled trying to reach her, "He probably thought what he did to you was merciful and loving. Odin had a twisted meaning of that word, I should know, but, I am not Odin! I swear to you sister I will succeed where he could not."

"I thought," She started, and the rumbling died down, "That if Asgard finally fell I would be free to see my mother, my lovers, and my friends once again. Apparently, the Norns are not so merciful."

"Oh, fuck the Norns!" Loki hissed out and Hela turned her surprised face towards him, “Fuck destiny. I was destined to die abandoned on Jotunheim, destined to die when I fell from the Bifrost when Thanos finally wrapped his hands around my neck. Yet I am here!" He said holding his arms wide, "So fuck those three old women! You may long for death, but I have no intention of leaving Thor all alone in the universe. I intend to get back to him, to avenge our people, and to take Thanos's head and you are coming with me!"

Hela stood staring at him. Her mouth open in shock. He panted after his tirade and watched her. A smile crept across her face and she waved her hand over her hair summoning her black horned helmet.

"Tell me, little trickster, how do we get out of here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Wow, I actually have no idea what happened this chapter other than in the span of two days Hela went from a badass villian in ragnarok to sympathetic character in my head and I have no idea how it happened. Hope you enjoyed the sibling talk, I really feel like Loki and Hela needed to have a long rant about Odin's parenting so here you go.


	3. We passed the Setting Sun –   Or rather – He passed us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hela and Loki have some more bonding time. Meanwhile the Snap happens

"So, what did Odin do to you?" Hela asked, nonchalantly. Loki shot her an annoyed glance, shadow traveling alone was difficult enough, though both Loki and Hela were more dead than alive, which made the process possible, it didn't make it any easier.  They'd been walking along a winding darkened path for what felt like days.  Hela thankfully had decided to remain silent and leave him to his thoughts until then. Now she seemed to have other ideas.

 

"Oh, come now trickster it only seems fair. I deal in balance.”

 

"Yes, it was real balance when you tried to kill all the Asgardians," Loki replied sarcastically.

 

Hela only shrugged not taking the bait, "They didn't all die now, did they? Besides we have endless time in each other's company until we reach a place where the fabric of reality is weak enough for us to tear through."

 

Loki sighed. It was true, time wasn’t even a concept here. They could wander around in this place for eternity and no time would pass on the other side. Loki had always hated road trips.

 

He rubbed the bridge of his nose as they walked on, “Where would you like me to start?”

 

* * *

 

 

“And then I stabbed him.” Loki finished proudly. Hela cackled next to him wiping a tear from her eye.

 

“I knew there had to be something we had in common, besides our penchant for green and our hair of course. Are you sure you’re really adopted?” She asked.

 

Loki let his Aesir form drop and the blue tint creep up his skin, "Quite."

 

Loki had no idea how long they’d been here. He’d stopped keeping track a while ago. As it turned out Hela was surprisingly good company (when she wasn’t threatening to impale him). She’d lived nearly three times as long as Thor and him and she had the stories to prove it.

 

He'd learned more of the history from the nine realms from her than from his centuries in the library. It appeared that Odin's lies had taken root in more than just the form of the golden city, the poison had spread far and wide. They'd always been taught that the war with Jotunheim had been over the fate of Midgard, with Odin acting as the benevolent king, of course, the way Hela told it that wasn't the truth at all.

 

Jotunheim had been a strong kingdom on the rise, they’d tentatively sent scouts to Midgard to look for life and see about expanding trade relations. Odin wanted no competition to Asgard’s empire, conveniently a young Asgardian mage who hadn’t yet mastered their innate magic fell to Midgard. Odin sent Hela to find the mage and kill them. She then planted evidence that it was a party of Frost Giants and the citizens of Asgard were frothing at the mouth to go to war with the savages.

 

“I never forgave him for that.” She said solemnly as she looked past Loki into the unending darkness. He supposed that even mildly insane goddesses of death had to draw a moral line somewhere. For Hela that seemed to be at murdering an Asgardian child to start a war.

 

Loki swallowed this bitter pill and couldn't help but think that maybe Asgard finally received its cosmic karma. He quickly squashed down the traitorous thought. No, it wasn't the people's fault any more than it was his or Thor's. Most everyone that had died on Asgard hadn't even been alive during the giant wars let alone the first conquests of Asgard. They'd been manipulated, something Loki understood far too well. It seemed there was no escaping the Allfather's mechaniations even in death. Loki kind of wished he could bring the bastard back so that he could kill Odin himself.

 

The more Hela told him the more questions itched at the back of his throat, "If he was war seeking for centuries what made him change?" Loki asked curiously as Hela ended another of her bloodstained tales of her and Odin on the battlefield.

 

Hela was silent for what seemed like days, "I suppose it was Frigga's influence in the end." She answered slowly, "My mother was a powerful enchantress, but there was no love lost between her and Odin, their marriage was purely political." Hela hadn't spoken on her mother much. Until Hela's appearance, Loki had never even known Odin had a previous wife prior to Frigga, yet another revision made to history by Odin. It was no wonder Hela had ripped the paintings from the walls of the palace, "When she died of a magic wasting disease. Odin waited no longer than the required mourning to remarry." Hela's voice was filled with hate, "He was smitten with the little Vanir beauty. Nothing made me happier than when she refused to marry him because he was ‘a man who knew nothing but the blood of children on his hands' and ‘a man like that couldn't hope to raise a child."

 

Loki felt a stab to his heart at the mention of Frigga, his mother really was a wonder, opposing Odin even at the height of his power and she was right, Odin really wasn't fit to raise children. Look at how the three of them had turned out.

 

“But she did marry him,” Loki said carefully, “What changed?”

 

Hela let out a bitter laugh, “Can’t you guess? He lied. Five centuries later and he was known as the most benevolent king this side of the universe had ever seen. I suppose she thought he had a change of heart or the political pressure grew to be too much. I don’t know by that time I was locked away in Helheim and erased.”

 

“Ah,” Yes, that did sound like Odin. Not even all of Frigga’s love could save Asgard from his lies.

 

"I must admit that I would never have guessed that bloodthirsty giant-slayer Odin would bring a runt of Laufey into his household."

 

“Yes, well I think we both know what he had planned for that.” Loki’s lips curled in anger, a puppet king or a forced marriage.  He brushed it off, the throne meant little to him now. If anything, he could go take the throne in Jotunheim if the urge struck him.

 

Loki stopped suddenly, "I think this may be it."

 

He held his hand up and summoned his seidr using it to probe at the blackness.

Something shattered and thin veins of light appeared through the darkness.

 

“Are you ready sister?”

 

Hela snorted, “Born ready. The question is, are you?”

 

Loki certainly hoped so. With that last thought, he pushed with all his seidr and stepped into the light.

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Oh God,” Steve said, dropping to his knees, His hands clutched at all that was left of Bucky, ash. Bucky, he’d just gotten him back and now it was like he’d never existed. The grey ashes slipping through his fingers. Why did he have to keep leaving first?  Steve felt so empty everything was gone.

 

He barely noticed the quiet footsteps as everyone trudged into the clearing: Natasha, Bruce, Thor, Rhodey, the Wakandan General, and a Raccoon, all that was left of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. They all seemed to be in equal states of shellshock, their eyes were unfocused as if they couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. Steve understood he didn’t quite believe it either.

 

He could tell all his teammates’ eyes were on him, but it was Rhodey that spoke first, “What do we do Cap?” He asked in a broken voice.

 

Steve didn’t know. He had no goddamn clue. He’d failed them and now half the universe was gone with a snap.  When at last he spoke, it wasn’t because he had an answer it was because he just couldn’t take the silence anymore, “We lost.” He murmured to everyone. The air seemed to grow darker around them as a slow drizzle began.

 

“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic.”  A feminine voice laughed from behind them. Steve whirled around finding anger was filling the empty part of him. A woman dressed in black and green now stood in the clearing an amused smile on her face and her arms crossed. The situation was dire, half the universe was gone no one should be making jokes at a time like this. It wasn’t Steve that flew off the handle at the woman though. It was Thor.

 

Steve barely had time to process what was going on before Thor was flying across the clearing, wrapped in lightning. He grabbed the woman by the neck with one hand and put his other hand behind him calling his axe. "Hela!" Thor snarled, he was more animal than man at that moment as he slammed her into the ground.  The earth cracked from the force of the blow as a small crater formed, "What are you doing here?"

 

The woman seemed completely nonplussed at the treatment. Her smile broadened as she wrapped her hands around Thor’s lightning covered arm, twisted, and pulled. Flinging him to the side as if he weighed no more than paper.

 

The woman stood up in one fluid movement, straightened, brushed herself off and flipped her hair back, “Now where did you learn your manners? That was not Asgardian hospitality. I would have thought Frigga taught you better.” Thor growled and rose from the remains of the tree he was thrown into, he was aglow with electricity as he stalked back towards Hela. Hela seemed unconcerned as she studied her nails, “As for why I am here,” She paused, “Let’s just say a little birdy whispered in my ear that you could use a Goddess of Death. Besides what kind of big sister would I be if I let leftover titans pick on my little brothers?”

 

“Little brothers?” Steve asked glancing at Thor, who was vibrating with rage. He gave no indication that he’d heard Steve at all. The two gods stood staring each other down. Steve felt the tension in the air and began to back away. Whatever this was his instincts were screaming for him to get away from it. He retreated to the edge of the clearing finding the rest of his team had done the same.

 

“What on God’s green earth is going on?” Steve hissed to the others. Adrenaline pushing the shock from his mind and his captain persona taking over once again. Most of them shook their heads. It was Banner who spoke up, a slight tremor in his voice.

 

“That’s Thor’s sister,” He whispered in horror. Everyone blinked at him awaiting further explanation. Banner gulped, “She’s evil, like with a capital E. She stabbed Thor’s eye out. I thought she blew up with Asgard!”

 

Steve digested the information, so another god. Great, they really didn’t need this right now, but the universe seemed content to rub salt in their festering wounds, especially Thor’s it seemed.

 

“Brothers,” Thor boomed, and everyone’s attention was back to the clearing, “What kind of sick jest is that?” He spat, “Loki is dead!”

 

Thor had his hand wrapped around his axe now and was swinging his arm back, preparing to let loose Stormbreaker.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Now would probably be the best time to intervene Loki thought as he waved his hand and dropped his invisibility spell.

 

“Ah, hello Thor,” Loki said stepping from behind Hela. Thor froze, his lightning dissipating from his body into the air. He looked like he had been hit by a truck, “I see you’ve found a new eye and hammer. I must say I quite prefer it when you find things rather than lose them when I’m gone.”

 

"You were dead," Thor whispered, dropping his axe. His brother didn't move, but Loki could see something in him snap. He wasn't present right now. He crumpled like a puppet with his strings cut, "I watched Thanos snap your neck. You can't be here." He said to himself in a voice little louder than a whisper, madness wasn't a good look on his brother.

 

“Yes, I was.” Loki said softly moving towards Thor, his green cap fluttering behind him, “Let’s just say it didn’t suit me.”

 

When Loki was close enough to touch, he was surprised Thor didn't reach out for him. Instead, he flinched back. Norns, Thor really looked like he'd lost it. Normally, Thor giving in to the idea that he had lost his mind would be amusing to Loki, but not right now. What kind of Hel had his brother been through since he'd been away to garner that kind of reaction? Loki pulled him into a tight hug, Thor was rigid before he slowly relaxed and buried his face in Loki's shoulder, "I thought I was truly alone," Thor's breathing quickened and Loki could feel the tears running down his hair and into his neck.

 

“There is no need for that brother,” Loki murmured rubbing a slow circle on Thor’s back, “I did promise you did I not? The sun will shine on us again.” Thor choked back a sob at that and Loki felt himself smile. Even centuries of plots and schemes could not kill the fondness he held for Thor, “Stupid Thunder God,” Loki said, “You did not really think the God of Mischief would be so incompetent as to fail in his last trick?”

 

Thor took a breath. Loki could still feel his brother’s pounding heart, but the dampness on his leather seemed to have stopped spreading. Thor pulled back, head decked and rubbed furiously at his eyes. Over-emotional oaf Loki thought fondly. When Thor finally looked up it seemed like he’d finally composed himself enough to face everyone else in the clearing.

 

“This is all very touching,” Hela commented in a bored voice. Loki shot her a dirty look, “But I would have thought we had other matters that needed to be discussed.”

 

Suddenly happy Thor was gone, replaced by his much angrier version, “Why did you bring her?” He glared at their sister, “She’s the worst!” Thor hissed out, sparking again.

 

"I recall you telling me the same thing," Loki said dryly, Thor's face fell, and he deflated, caving back into himself.  Loki felt a stab of something that might have been guilt, "If you could refrain from electrocuting her for a few minutes more I'll explain."

 

“I am sorry brother.” Thor apologized his voice cracking on the last word, “I never-”

 

Loki waved his worry off, “It’s fine, I know what you thought at the time and that you did not mean it. As for Hela, well, I brought help.” He finished with a shrug.

 

Thor’s mouth formed a thin line, “This is not quite what I imagined from your plan.”

 

"Better than your idea of get help," Loki said trying to lighten the mood. To his relief, Thor's face broke out into a smile.

 

“Aye, perhaps so. I don’t think my version of get help would have worked so well with Thanos.”

 

Loki heard rustling from the bushes and watched Thor's friends warily remerge from the forest. There was the righteous captain, the no longer red-headed spy, Banner, two Midgardians he did not recognize, and a small rodent with a gun.

 

Banner waved at him as he cast an anxious gaze at Hela, but it was the Raccoon that spoke up first, “Who are these jackasses, Thor?” The Raccoon asked, leveling his gun at them. Hela scoffed.

 

"It's alright Rabbit," Thor said holding his hands up and stepping in front of Loki. It took centuries of practice for Loki to keep his face straight.  Rabbit? Really Thor.

 

Hela seemed to have no such restraint, “I see that our youngest brother must have gotten all the brains in the family. Did Odin keep you around only to look pretty?” Thor whirled around and was snarling at their sister again. Great, just what Loki needed two hot-blooded impulsive siblings.

 

“Quite the team you have here,” Loki commented, trying to rein in the chaos back in. His eyes trailed across the scattered souls in the clearing. Some had raised weapons in their hands, others like the captain just look resigned.

 

"Well the end of the world does seem to bring people together," The captain answered, his tone was far more bitter than the last time Loki had seen the star-spangled man. He had suspicion and anger painted across his face. Then he turned to Hela and tentatively held out his hand, "Pleasure to meet you, Ma'am."

 

Hela stared at the Midgardian as if he were a bug with two heads, before turning away to address Thor, “Enough of these pleasantries, what happened here?” She demanded.

 

“Half-” Bruce started nervously as Hela turned her dark eyes on him, “Half of everyone is gone. Thanos snapped his fingers and they turned to ash.” His voice cracked on the last word and Loki watched as all the heroes in the clearing seemed to crawl further into their own dark thoughts.

 

"I can feel the mark of death on everything. It is most unnatural.” Hela said casually. As she walked over to one of the piles of ash and kicked it. The Avengers in the field stiffened and Thor growled again stalking over to push Hela out of the way. Loki sighed, for all the time they’d spent together in the void he hadn’t realized he needed to teach her to fake sympathy.

 

"So, we have Loki and Loki 2.0 now?" The Black Widow asked, her eyes rested a calculating look at Hela.  The spy was as ever completely composed, compartmentalizing any feelings if she had them at all. Loki felt Hela bristle and the earth shift slightly beneath them. Then a spear of stone jutted up towards the spy. She flinched back, and Thor yanked sharply on Hela's wrist.

 

"The name's Hela dear, and you would do well to remember it," Hela said with a predatory smirk.

 

“Enough,” Thor boomed and rested his axe to her neck, “Loki said you were here to help. You best get to the part where you are of use or I will not stay my hand for much longer. And if you threaten anyone again I will kill you where you stand.”

 

Hela let out a gravelly laugh, "Oh, do you promise little brother?"

 

"Okay, everyone chill-out," The unfamiliar man dressed in the metal suit of armor commanded, "Half the universe was just wiped out. If you two," He said jabbing his finger at Hela and Loki, "Are just going to cause trouble you can fuck right off! We don't have time for this shit!"

 

Huh, Loki thought the man was quite brave, must be an associate of Stark's. Speaking of Stark, Loki glanced around, he appeared to be missing from the little world-saving get-together.

 

Hela huffed, “Enough idle chatter, I was promised a titan to kill.” She leveled a look at Loki.

 

"You just missed him." The Raccoon said bitterly, lowering his weapon. Apparently, a willingness to kill Thanos was enough to get on his good side.

 

"The man is drenched in death, he shouldn't be that hard to find." Hela mused a dark crackle of magic appearing in the palm of her hand. Loki was unfamiliar with the magic, but death magic was more her specialty than his.

 

"Well whatever, I want to go kill Thanos for what he did to Groot." There was an edge of pain in the Raccoon's voice, apparently, he too had lost someone dear to him.

 

"I am sorry for your tree friend," Thor said looking down at the rodent, sympathy in his voice.

 

The little creature’s ears drooped, and he sniffed, “Yeah, well.”

 

"There may be a way to bring them back," Hela said sniffing the air. No sympathy for the people turned to dust, but one furry creature teared up and Hela was helpful. Loki would have to remember this weakness of hers. First a wolf and now a raccoon, "Whatever this is, it is not true death."

 

"What do you mean?" The widow asked as everyone looked up from their mutilated despair.

 

“I am the Goddess of Death, I cannot feel them in my realm or any other realm of Death. Whatever was done to them, they are somewhere else and if they are not truly dead there may be a way to get them back.”

 

For the first time since entering the clearing Loki saw something akin to hope spark in the Midgardians’ eyes, “We can get them back?” The captain asked wistfully, “All of them?”

 

“There is a chance. I would have to know exactly how he did this,” Hela said waving her hand at the piles of ash. Loki sighed, yes, they definitely needed to have a conversation about keeping her more sociopathic tendencies to herself.

 

“He has all the infinity stones,” Thor admitted, a look of shame passing over his face. That couldn’t mean anything good. Loki would have to question him in more detail later.

 

“Infinity stones,” Hela grinned, “Oh good, I had wondered about that. This should be interesting then.”

 

“Do not jest.” Thor snapped, straightening and releasing Hela’s wrist, “Half of the universe is dust and I intend to have Thanos’s head.”

 

“Oh, and you will little brother,” Thor blinked twice in surprise, peering more closely at their sister, “You take me to the Titan and I will deliver his head to you on a silver platter, your majesty.” Sarcasm dripped from the title as Hela did a little mock bow. Loki sighed again and strode over to Thor, placing a hand on his shoulder before he could react violently.

 

"What guarantees do we have that you will not decide to take Thanos's place as conqueror once we have defeated him?" Thor asked. Loki smiled internally, it seemed Thor really was learning to look before he leaped, all it took was a few centuries worth of stabbing. Loki felt a small trickle of pride in his chest and he quickly shoved it down. Now was no time for sentiment.

 

“You don’t trust me?” Hela asked, placing a hand over her chest in mock hurt. Thor glared, “Good I’d hate to think another fool was sitting on the throne of Asgard. Do not worry,” She said addressing Thor, but meeting Loki’s eyes, “We have a bargain that does not involve you.”

 

Thor paled and frowned. Ah, his brother's ever expressive worried face.  Loki let out a low chuckle at the thoughts that must be racing through his head. He was probably imaging them both stabbing him in some elaborate trick. Well, that was what the old Thor would have been thinking, no doubt this more mature Thor was thinking that the last thing the universe needed was Hela and Loki setting aside their differences and making deals. If it were normal circumstances Loki might even agree with him.

 

If only you knew Thor, Loki mused, if only you knew.

 

“Do we have an accord then sister?” Thor asked, his speech hitching on the last word, “You will go in peace back to whatever pit you crawled out of when this is finished.”

 

Hela rolled her eyes, “Yes, yes you don’t trust me. I won’t kill you or any of your… friends when this is all over. I swear it on the Norns.”

 

“Or Loki,” Thor prompted, “You won’t kill anyone in the nine realms, me or Loki when this is all done.”

 

It was a dark time indeed when the God of Thunder was being careful how he bargained. Loki had to admit it warmed him a bit to have Thor act so cautiously and to even preemptively bargain for his life. He felt another stab of guilt for his performance on the ship with Thanos, even if it wasn’t true he was sure Thor thought he really would trade his life for the Tesseract at that moment.

 

"If he keeps his end of the bargain we shall have no quarrel," Hela said carefully.

 

Thor opened his mouth to speak again, but Loki cut him off, “It’s fine Thor I’ll keep my bargain.” Thor frowned but didn’t attempt to continue the conversation.

 

“Come now brothers, Midgardians,” Hela commanded, waving her hand as a black portal worked its way into existence, “I think it’s time we brought this Titan a little Death.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Here’s the next piece all and me just completely making up Asgardian history and ignoring comic canon as I give MCU Hela more of a backstory. I imagine she was very lonely in helheim all that time and would be very chatty if given the chance. Thor sadly wasn't stuck in the afterlife with Hela long enough for him to get attached to her, but don't worry I trust his big bleeding heart to accept her eventually. I hope this chapter was just the right mix of drama, sass, and humor, originally I had it way funnier and then I realized Thanos had just won and that wasn’t appropriate. Also everyone have a Thor and Loki hug scene because they gosh darn deserve it! As always please read and review. 
> 
> Extra excerpts: I really liked these lines but they didn’t fit with the tone. 
> 
> “You have two siblings and they look like carbon copies and apparently they’re both unstable killers, Thor you sure you weren’t adopted?” The Raccoon asked him in a whisper.
> 
> “I can’t be sure of anything, but I’m beginning to wish I was.”
> 
> And 
> 
> “Okay so you are an angel-pirate, baby.” The Raccoon started pointing at Thor. Loki let out a laugh, his brother had looked a bit like a pirate with his newest eyepatch look, “Your sister is a badass and your other brother looks like the type to have a sugar daddy.” Loki scowled at the rodent. He did not have a sugar daddy, thank you very much, “Your family is awesome!” The furry creature clapped his hands in delight. “Why didn’t you bring them along earlier?”
> 
> Because I thought they were both dead!” Thor said sulkily. 
> 
> “Sugar Daddy that’s a good one. I’ll have to remember that.” Bruce said wiping a tear from his eye.


	4. Since then – ‘tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day

“Wait,” A voice called. Loki watched Hela turn around slowly and he flicked his eyes to see which of Thor’s friends had spoken up. Only to find the Captain standing straight, his jaw squared as he stared down Hela. Midgardians never ceased to amaze him with their stupidity, though Loki couldn’t say he wasn’t the slightest bit impressed, “You may be the Goddess of Death, but we still need a plan. Thanos destroyed half of the universe with a snap. This is our second chance we aren’t likely to get another. We can’t go off half-cocked.”

 

“I have a plan.” Hela sniffed as she reassessed the man in front of her, “It’s to kill him.”

 

"Ma'am, that's just not going to cut it." The captain said a grim look on his face. Hela stared at him. Her eyes unblinking.

 

“You are a brave one,” Hela stated, “Alright then noble warrior I take it you have something in mind?”

 

The Captain frowned before nodding slowly. This ought to be good Loki thought, “Both you and Thor seem to have the ability to travel in space the rest of us can’t. But if you can track Thanos it seems unlikely that he’d be expecting us. Thor injured him before he activated the stones and retreated.” Loki raised his eyebrow at that, to have injured the Titan that was impressive. What in the Nine Realms had changed since he left Thor on the ship? The Captain continued, “We take him unawares in a stealth mission, remove the gauntlet and take out the threat.”

 

Behind the blonde, his team members nod their assent.

 

"That would be lovely," Hela said dryly, "Unfortunately Titans are a battle-forged people, you won't find Thanos unaware even when he's shitting. Besides if you want to bring your friends back," She gestured at the ash-laden ground, "I will need to know exactly what he did. The dead don't have much of a penchant for speaking, I'll need that answer out of him before I kill him. Unless you don't care about your friends that is."

 

Loki sighed internally Hela was right. In dealing with something as unstable as the Infinity Stones they would need more than hunches to undo what had been done.

 

The remaining warriors on the field cast uneasy looks at each other, sharing a look with the Captain before their eyes landed on Thor. Thor snorted, “I don’t care what you do, but I’ll be the one to kill him. I want to look the bastard in the eyes while I end him.”

 

“You’ve already had your chance brother and failed, dare I say it twice? No, I think it’s time you sit back and let me handle it.” 

 

“That’s because you-” Thor started, glaring at Hela.

 

“Thor you can’t do this alone.” The man in Stark’s armor tried to reason, “Thanos just handed us our asses on a plate.” Thor clenched his jaw.

 

"In all fairness, you didn't have me the last time," Loki interjected before his two siblings' glares could evolve into a physical assault.

 

“Alright assholes quit your bickering,” The Raccoon yelled cocking his gun, “I don’t care who kills the big purple scrotum as long as I get Groot back. Now how are we getting there? Because I don’t trust this lady enough to go through her crazy death portal.”

 

“Svartalvheim, we go to Svartalvheim.” Thor offered, “From there Loki should be able to muster enough dark energy to send us anywhere in the universe.” Thor glared at Hela, “If you can truly locate the Titan.”

 

Loki wanted to protest. It would be quicker to go through Hela's portal, but to be honest, he had no idea what kind of impacts a Hel portal would have on the mortals' minds. In the past, that wouldn't have phased him but with Thanos, Loki shivered, they needed all the help they could get.  Loki caught Thor's eyes and nodded.

 

Thor raised his axe and in a flash of rainbow light Midgard disappeared beneath them.

 

* * *

 

 

"That weapon is rather marvelous," Loki commented as he regained his balance. Around him, Earth's Avengers did the same. Thor nodded stiffly and continued to eye their sister warily.

 

Hela strolled over the Dark Elves’ desolate planet, “Just as much a shithole as I remember it.”

 

“Eh, I’ve seen worse,” The Raccoon muttered heaving his blaster over his shoulder.

 

"Nidavellir," Thor answered.

 

“Ah, Eitri’s work. I should have assumed,” Hela interjected, “He forged my blades centuries ago. I blessed him in perpetuity for it.”

 

Thor snarled at her, “BLESSED HIM! IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL IT? A BLESSING!”  Lightning crackled overhead in the thin atmosphere.

 

Loki frowned, “Calm down Thor-”

 

“No Loki. Shut up. I want to know if that’s what she considers a blessing.”

 

Hela frowned, “I would have thought that was rather obvious. Long life, riches, fame.”

 

“Long life,” Thor chuckled, “Yes a truly glorious life Eitri faces alone on a star frozen in space after Thanos slaughtered everyone he loved in front of him, forced his hands into his own forge and left him to die. Aye, I call that a blessing. I’m sure he’s singing your praises right now sister.” There was a dark fury in Thor’s eyes Loki had never seen before. The Raccoon lowered his ears and backed towards Thor raising his weapon. The rest of the Avengers followed suit stepping away from Hela.

 

"Oh," Hela cocked her head, "Are you sure you're talking about Eitri here and not yourself? As I heard it you were king when all this came to pass. Thanos slaughtering your precious survivors while you were encaged. Don't project your own insecurities and failings onto others bro-" A huge lightning bolt cut her off. When the light dimmed Hela was lying face up in a thirty-foot crater.

 

“Ow,” Hela said, wiping a trickle of blood from her lip, “Where was that last time we fought?”

 

Thor snarled again and made to move closer. Loki caught him pushing his hand into Thor’s chest

 

"It's alright-"Loki started stepping into the space between his siblings. If things got physical, he wasn't sure his magic would be enough to stop the two and he had no desire to watch another planet burn as his remaining family settled their differences bloodily.

 

“You should have burned with Asgard!” Thor spat.

 

“Trust me,” Hela said picking herself up off the ground and dusting off her armor, “I had no desire to outlive Asgard.”

 

"You have a funny way of showing it with how you murdered half the population sister." Thor sneered. The rest of Thor's friends shifted uncomfortably in their battle positions. Only Banner really had any idea about what was being discussed. Well, Banner and the sentient rodent.

 

“And Thanos murdered the other half.” interjected Loki as he glanced nervously between his two siblings, “Just thought I’d put that out there so you two don’t murder each other before we complete our shared goal.”

 

“Don’t worry after Thanos. I intend to take her head as well.” Thor jabbed his finger in Hela’s direction.

 

“Bold words brother. I look forward to it.” Hela smirked.

 

Loki pushed Thor away from her, “Take a walk brother. I’ll deal with her. You need to clear your head; your Captain is right. Thanos is not an enemy we can fight against with emotions ruling our minds.”  Thor grumbled angrily, “Please. It will take some time to gather enough dark energy. Go, bring your friends up to speed on what Hela is capable of and strategize. I will tell you when we are prepared to go.”

 

Thor nodded once, and his cape flowed as he turned on his heel, marching back to the others and more importantly away from Hela.

 

Loki drifted to the crater, “Did you have to rile him up so?” Loki hissed at his sister.

 

Hela shrugged, “He makes it so easy.”

 

"Yes, and normally I'd be all for taking things that are easy to take. However, in this case, we have bigger problems and I'd prefer if you didn't put undue stress on Thor's already fragile mind, especially not in this place." Loki said glancing around nervously.

 

Hela looked at him curiously, “Why? What happened here little bird?”

 

“Nothing I’d care to discuss.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it's been a little while! But now that I have time I'm updating all my stories so yay. I really wanted to have Thor and Hela come to some kind of understanding but they just refused to cooperate. Sigh, oh well. Next chapter Thanos and maybe a little more sibling bonding, come on brain give Thor and Hela a moment. Anyways hope you enjoyed!


	5. We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground –

Loki sat cross-legged on Svartalvheim's blackened soil. It'd been several hours since he last saw Thor, but the lack of rumbling thunder indicated that he'd managed to stay clear of Hela. Loki sighed internally. He truly had no idea how to reconcile his siblings. From Thor's perspective, Hela was every bit the monster from his nightmares. He hadn't spent the months, possibly years with Hela in the in-between. Even then he isn't sure if that would have helped his siblings with their differences Thor was stubborn at the best of times and Hela, Hela was practically an unmovable wall. This was a mess. He needed some plan to get the two of them to see eye to eye, to work together. Norns, sometimes what he wouldn't give to be the god of mead instead of the god of mischief.

 

Loki couldn’t stop his mind from mulling the problem over again and again as his fingers worked, reaching out and plucking the dark energy from the seams of the cosmos.  The work was tedious and drained his seidr, but if he calculated correctly it shouldn’t be too much longer until there was enough to transport them to whatever dark pit Thanos crawled back to.

 

A small cough pulled him from his musings, “Uh, hi,” a timid voice said in front of him. Loki cracked an eye open to see the disheveled clothes of the green monster’s host. He shivered involuntarily thinking of the last time he had seen the monster.

 

“Bruce, I take it you want something?” He drawled, trying to keep the dark energy he collected from dissipating.

 

The scientist wrung his hands together, "Well yes. I've been thinking and I'm really not sure if it's in everyone's best interest to take on Thanos." Loki cocked an eyebrow and fully opened both his eyes gazing at the mortal, "I think we both know this is practically a suicide run." The man fiddled with his clothing, uncomfortable, "They weren't on the ship, they didn't see what Thanos was like. The way he slaughters people. I remember. On earth, he was distracted. He just wanted the stones, it wasn't a slaughter not in the same way."

 

“I fail to see what your point is.”  Loki said sliding his eyes closed again, “Either we win, or we lose. What good would keeping warriors in reserve do for our cause?”

 

"Look I know you don't know most of the team. But, I do and some of them, including Thor, are going to be liabilities on the battlefield. They'd rather die right now for a chance at the past than have to struggle to rebuild through the pain." Loki frowned. It wasn't truly surprising that some, like Thor and no doubt the Captain, would feel that way. Fate had stolen everything from them, if they had a way to fist fight destiny right now he had no doubt those two idiots would be first in line. He shook his head this line of thinking would get him nowhere.

 

“And you wouldn’t?” Loki asked, “You are a much colder man than I gave you credit for Doctor.”

 

“No,” Bruce sighed, “But, what if this doesn’t work. What if we all die fighting Thanos? Or if we get the stones but it doesn’t bring anyone back? Earth needs someone to trust and rely on more than ever. I know you and Thor really don’t have anything more to lose, but Earth does. Think of this as a contingency plan. I know you love those.”

 

“I see, and you are coming to me because I control the means of transportation. I could send individuals back to Midgard instead of to face the Titan.”

 

 “Yes.”

 

Loki hummed for a moment, "I won't do it." the man blanched, "I understand your point. Truly I do. But, let me ask you this: if I take from them their rage, their purpose, once the venom leaves their veins do you imagine they will get up and continue in their fighting?" Banner said nothing, "No they will crumble regardless of what I do. It is better to give them their chance at vengeance. I know Thor would slaughter anyone, friend or foe, that tried to keep him from this battle. He has nothing else."

 

“He has you,” Banner said quietly.

 

“Yes, but I intend to right a wrong and kill Thanos. I am tired of running away. If you do not think Thor will find a way to follow me into battle you clearly have not met Thor.”

 

“You’re probably right.” the mortal said running a hand down his face.

 

“Probably?”

 

“Okay, definitely right.” The man corrected.  

 

"Better," Loki said, condensing the tendrils of dark energy with his hands.

 

"In that case, I have a different favor to ask," Banner sat down in front of him, "I need you to get the Hulk out of me."

 

“Having performance issues, are we?” Loki asked, an amused lilt overtaking his voice.

 

“That or the Hulk is just being a big green baby!” The man looked around angrily as if he expected something to happen, “No still nothing. Great.”

 

“I see,” A slow grin began to form on Loki’s face. This would be fun, “Worry not Banner I’ll get the beast out of you. It shouldn’t take much at all.”  

 

Bruce gulped and looked like he was having second thoughts about the whole thing. That was really too bad. Loki never turned down the possibility of people owing him an undisclosed future favor. 

 

“Now go run along and ask that Captain of yours if the plan is complete. I have enough energy and I’m ready to go stab a titan.”

 

* * *

 

It turned out that planning a murder really did bring people together. When Banner led the shambling group of mortals to where Thor deposited them. They appeared to be in a much better mood, even Hela stood closer to the group and there was Thor with a hateful glare carefully standing between them.

 

“I take it you’ve come to some consensus on how you want to handle the Titan?” Loki asked casually.

 

The Captain dipped his head in acknowledgment, "Something like that."

It was the widow that elaborated further, "The plan's simple we'll have the surprise advantage. We sneak in, remove the gauntlet from Thanos and then bring in the heavy hitters to question him before we kill him. The Captain, Rocket, Loki and myself will be the first wave, Rhodey will be eyes in the sky, Bruce, Thor, and Hela you'll be back up if something goes sideways." The Widow explained, inclining her head to each of them as she addressed them.

 

Loki was surprised. The plan was simple enough, which was good because if Loki's centuries had taught him anything it was where Thor and him were involved plans had the tendency to explode in rather unpredictable ways. He was still surprised that Thor and even Hela had acquiesced to this plan. He glanced at them, only to find barely concealed rage on Thor's face from the mention of the Titan and disinterest painted across Hela's. Well, it was better than nothing he supposed.

 

“You do have an idea as to how difficult removing the gauntlet will be?”

 

“We’ve weighed the odds,” The Captain spoke, his voice determined, “He’s not giving up the gauntlet without a fight either way so the best we can do is try to take it before he’s fully aware of what’s happening-”

 

"And after that backfires spectacularly and they're just about to be slaughtered. I'll step in and save them and end the titan." Hela completed a smug look on her face.

 

Thor took a step towards her and it was Banner’s hand on his chest that stayed him.

 

Loki sighed and quickly moved to intervene, “Sister you have a location for me?”

 

She let out a huff of air, “Yes, Lea.”

 

"Let us go then." With that, he waved his hand and the dark energy converged around them in a maelstrom of blackness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

They touched down on a planet that was overly grassy.  The mortals stumbled a bit with the exception of the raccoon that was once again perched on Thor’s shoulders. Fields stretched to the horizon in every direction and there wasn’t a sentient creature besides them in sight.  This is not what he had anticipated.

 

“You are sure he’s on this planet?” Loki asked pointedly. Hela rolled her eyes.

 

"Yes, I can smell the stench of death from here." She said as she pointed to the east, "He's this way."

 

 

* * *

 

 

The ragtag group walked on for several miles. A grim determination filled the air the closer they got. There was a rural beauty to this place. Loki mused looking at the way the multicolored sky met the horizon. It was not grand enough that Loki would ever stay on this planet. But he could admit that it was pretty. The farther they made it the less random the landscaped looked. By the time Hela held up her hand to stop them, it looked like someone was attempting to farm, with low cut crops lined up neatly in rows.  How peculiar.

 

“He’s half a mile up ahead,” Hela said, “I can’t sense what he’s doing, but if you want to attempt your fool hearted plan I suggest you do so now.”

 

“Alright,” The Captain said as he checked over his equipment, “This is where we split. Rhodey eyes in the sky, keep a low profile and see what you can tell us about how to approach. Natasha, Rocket Loki on me. Thor take this comm. We’ll call you in if we need you.” Thor gently took the small piece of technology and slid it into his ear, “Loki if you could whip us up some cover with your magic that would be much appreciated.” 

 

He huffed. It seemed he had to do everything around here. No matter he had long known that mortals were useless, "Ah if Banner and I might have a moment first?"

 

The group gave him a range of curious looks, but the Captain nodded his assent.

 

“Come Banner.” Loki beckoned as the pair stepped away from the group. There wasn’t much privacy with the landscape being what it was. He cast a couple of silencing charms around them. It wouldn’t do to have Thanos hear them coming when he released the beast.

 

“Right now? You want to let the Hulk out right now?!” The other man asked, incredulous.

 

Loki rolled his eyes, “The way I see it is that we may not have another chance for me to fix your problem. Then you will be completely useless, and I might as well have sent you back to Midgard.” Bruce grumbled under his breath, “If you are concerned I suggest you keep a tight rein on the beast until you intend to release him.”

 

“Yeah, well just don’t piss me off I guess.”

 

Loki nodded and stepped closer, “This may be a bit uncomfortable. But I would appreciate it if when you turn into the Hulk you would refrain from smashing me.” He raised his thumb to the man’s forehead and pressed.

 

Suddenly he was skimming through Bruce’s memories. Hurt, despair, a lab, an explosion. Anger. So much anger. And then fear. Flashes of Thanos skirted across his mind. He pulled at the strand of memory, diving deeper. Then everything came to a stop and standing in front of him was a green mass of muscles that could only be the Hulk.

 

“Go way puny god.” The green monster ordered, turning his back on him.

 

“I think not.”

 

“Smash you!” The Hulk threatened.

 

“I don’t believe you,” Loki sniffed, “It’s a bit hard to take your threats seriously when you won’t even come out and play.”

 

The Hulk sighed and slouched down, “Banner weak. Hulk weak. No one like Hulk. Only Banner left.”

 

“Ah, so that’s the problem. You got solidly beat for the first time and now you feel like a failure. How is this different than the Grandmaster’s arena?”

 

“Hulk not lose. Thor lose.”

 

“Right.”

 

Well, Banner's problem was certainly more psychological than he anticipated. He supposed he wasn't called liesmith for nothing. Wasn't that really all mind healers were after all? Really good liars.

 

“So, you failed in the fight against Thanos the first time and you’re scared.” Loki brushed his hand along the monsters back. The things he did for his brother, “It’s alright to be afraid.”

 

“Hulk not scared.” He protested angrily.

 

“No? Well in the off chance that you’re lying. I’ll say this anyways. It is perfectly alright to be terrified. Thanos is terrifying. He already killed me once. It’s what you do with that fear that matters. And what I’ve decided to do is to get angry. To get very very angry and to kill the bastard.” He looked like he had the beast’s attention, good, “There’s no reason why you couldn’t help. Redeem yourself. All your friends out there are depending on you. Will you continue to hide?”

 

“Banner’s friends. Banner help them.”

 

Loki sneered, “Are you really trying to tell me that Thor isn’t your friend? That Valkyrie wasn’t your friend?”

 

The beast looked confused. Good, he was thinking.

 

“Angry girl?” The Hulk asked in a small voice.

 

"Yes, Thanos killed her. Stabbed her through the heart. Don't you want vengeance?" To be honest, Loki wasn't sure if the Valkyrie was dead, but she very well could be. Truth was what you made of it and he wasn't about to admit the grey information to the beast when he had him right where he wanted him.

 

“NOOOO!!!” The Hulk wailed, “ANGRY GIRL!” Then he was bawling. Great fat tears rolling down cheeks as he punched the whiteness of Banner’s subconscious.

 

Loki stepped closer and rested the palm of his hand on creatures back, making small comforting circles just as his mother had done for him all those centuries ago. The crying went on for several more minutes.

 

“You do realize there’s only one thing you can do that will help.” The Hulk turned to him a look of confusion on his face, “Get angry, get very very angry and when Bruce calls come out punching.”

 

“Hulk smash Thanos!” The Hulk declared solemnly.

 

"That's the spirit." And with that sentiment, Loki released the spell.

 

He found himself lying on his back. Bruce collapsed next to him and Thor’s friend peering curiously down at them.

 

"You were out for an hour," Thor said, answering the unasked question. Loki sat up and popped his neck on both sides. An hour? No wonder he felt stiff. Banner moaned next to him.

 

"Not to worry," Loki said swiftly before any accusatory looks could be cast his way, "Just helping Bruce with a little performance issue. Everything should be in order and if we need it I expect we will see an angry green monster on our side." Loki stood and dusted himself off, "He should awake in a few minutes. Captain, I do believe you were ready to go."

 

“Yeah, Rhodey says there’s a building about a half mile from here. He hasn’t seen any movement, but he says there’s a scarecrow that has some rather familiar armor on it.”

 

"Good. It looks like we've found our monster to kill."

 

“Loki after what you just pulled will you still have enough magic to get us in there unseen?” The Widow asked, practical as ever.

 

 Loki waved the concerns off. Yes, his magic was running rather low, but he had no intention of being sidelined. He was going to be there when Hela murdered Thanos in the most gruesome way imaginable. It was part of their deal after all. Besides illusions were Childs play.

 

“Let’s move out then.” Came the Captain’s determined voice.

 

“Brother, Sister,” Loki addressed nodding at each of them as he passed, “Please do try not to kill each other until the Titan is dead.”

 

Hela huffed affectionately a mischievous smile that worried him taking over her face. Suddenly leaving her with Thor and Banner seemed a poor choice. Thor growled at her before turning his eyes back to Loki and reaching up to lightly squeeze the back of his neck, “Don’t die again.”

 

Loki rolled his shoulders back, shot one last gaze at his siblings and then followed the Captain.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Well this was supposed to be the last chapter but then Hulk found a way to smash into my writing and I wasn’t even done writing the fight with Thanos and I was over 6000 words. So, I broke it in two. Next chapter will be the last assuming something else drastic doesn’t happen. Also, Lea is apparently a word for a grassy field and since I couldn't find any reference to the name of the planet Thanos has his farm on in the comics it seemed fitting enough. I’ve also gone back and edited the past chapters slightly just for clarity and consistency. I haven’t changed anything, though I did spend a good deal of time inserting commas that should have been there originally. Anyways enjoy and let me know what you think.


	6. I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity

  
Loki began to second guess the plan as soon as the Titan’s residence (if the tiny run-down shack could really be called that) was in view. The hut in front of them looked too defenseless. It practically reeked of a trap and that had Loki on high alert.

On their way over they’d passed a scarecrow in the fields that was garbed in Thanos’s distinctive armor. He grimaced at the thought. Everything seemed to be going too well. There was no way it would last.

He kept his reservations to himself though as he cloaked the four of them and crept closer to his fate.

The Captain made a series of hand signs for the Widow and the Raccoon to split left and headed for the back of the house. Meanwhile, he and the Captain climbed the steps onto a rickety porch. The Captain made eye contact with him and nodded before he pushed inwards on the door.

Loki held his breath as the dingy hut came into view. There was a scattering of plain wooden furniture, a few metal dishes, and a small cabinet in the one-roomed building. Thank the Norns there was no Thanos in sight. Loki dropped their cover and they split searching the room for the gauntlet. The Captain was surprisingly efficient, Loki had just finished checking under the small bed rack when Rogers slammed his fist down on the table.

“Damn him it’s not here! All the rest of the armor’s out on that stick in the field he must still be carrying the gauntlet on his person!”

Loki blinked. That was certainly a possibility, granted it complicated matters immensely.

“What do you mean big ugly and purple isn’t here?” The rodent asked popping his face up on one of the side windows as he scrambled his way into the hut.

“I would think that was self-evident.” The Widow said calmly as she followed the Raccoon through the window.

The Raccoon snarled at her, “I ain’t got time or energy for any of your smartass comments lady.” The Widow stared him down, “Yeah, yeah glare all you want I’ve lived four years in close proximity to the deadliest woman in the galaxy. You don’t scare me one bit. So, keep your shirt on.” They’d barely begun, and the team was already falling apart at the seams. Loki sighed this was why he preferred to work alone.

“That’s enough,” The Captain said silencing the argument, “Thanos may not be here now but we are. We still have the surprise advantage so let’s not waste it, he could return any minute.”

“Perhaps we should retreat for now,” Loki suggested quietly.

“No, I have a better idea,” The Raccoon grinned pulling something out of his side pouch, “Let’s set a trap.”

Initially, a trap sounded like an excellent idea. The plan was roughly unchanged, put Thanos out of commission and take the gauntlet. The plan was made easier when the small rodent pulled out two Zarxian tasers and enough Mixile tranquilizer to put down a dragon. Loki felt his eyebrows lift in surprise as he stared questioningly at the creature.

“What I like to be prepared,” he sniffed.

“What else do you carry with you?”

The rodent grinned all teeth, “Hopefully you won’t ever have to find out.”

They laid out trip wires and few contraptions from the ceiling that would prevent the Titan from moving while the tasers and tranquilizers did their job. Once it was all set up Loki put a layer of magic over the whole thing.

With one last look at the humble farmhouse, they slipped out the door to wait.

* * *

 

The night was approaching, and they still had not seen hide nor hair of the Titan. Not that it meant much when the monster had a stone that could transport him anywhere in the universe. The team had lain in wait on the outskirts of the field all day. Far enough away to not raise suspicions but close enough to be able to step in once the Titan returned.

All in all, it was painfully dull. Every time he or the Rat tried to start up a conversation they were hushed by the Widow who reminded them to stay on task. Loki rolled his eyes but sat quietly. The rat pulled something out of his pouch and had been fiddling with it for the last hour.

The longer they sat the more Loki’s mind wandered. He couldn’t help but think of his siblings. The pleasant weather and lack ferocious battle cries meant they must be getting along, at least that was what he hoped. It certainly couldn’t be worse than the present company he was keeping.

The sun dipped below the horizon and then there was an earth-shattering explosion. Followed by a plume of fire that lite the night. 

Loki dropped to the ground, hands clutched over his ears as dirt went flying. Smoke filled the air and the field was alight with flames. What in the nine realms was going on?

He rolled over and on to his back to find the Captain helping a disoriented Widow to her feet. The Rodent looked right as rain and carefully plucked something out of his ears. It couldn’t be? Earplugs. The damned Rat planned the whole thing! The traps the waiting it was all a distraction, a cover for the fact that he’d planted bombs in the house

The shack was in ruins. He could see it from here. Or rather not see it from here as it was an unnatural crater in the scenic landscape of Lea.

The plan exploded just as Loki predicted it would. This time he could say with certainty it was through no fault of his own. No, that honor went entirely to the kleptomaniac raccoon that the Captain brought along. But he felt no satisfaction in the I told you so.

Instead, he turned on the raccoon, lifting it up by the back of its filthy pelt and shaking it, “We needed Thanos alive you insolent fool!”

The rat twisted its head and bit down on his fingers hard. Loki yelped and dropped him as the raccoon skittered away, his fur bristling. He pulled out a gun and leveled it at them,  
“You guys keep blathering about how you want him alive. But I’ve heard about Thanos and I’ve fought galactic assholes before. There’s no taking them alive. There’s only taking them out!” The rat screeched.

“That wasn’t the plan!” Natasha hissed, “We need him alive and the gauntlet intact.”

“Fuck your plan I only agreed to that to get you guys to shut up! This asshole killed Groot and I don’t know how many other people I cared about. The fact that you guys weren’t going to kill him when we had the chance is fucking unbelievable!” The Raccoon paused in his tirade to gasp in a breath, “‘Sides I met the dwarf who made that gauntlet trust me that stuff wasn’t gonna blow up from a few bombs. Now we just need to go scrape it off his corpse.” When no one made a move, the raccoon swished his tail in irritation and started towards the burning house, “You guys can thank me later.” He snarled over his shoulder.

The Captain said nothing as they watched the Raccoon dart over the rubble, sniffing.

“What now Captain?” Loki asked casually, sliding on a mask of apathy over the fact that their once chance at returning the galaxy to its former state may have gone up in smoke.

The Captain’s shoulders sank, “We go see just how much damage he did. If we find the gauntlet do you think you can use the time stone to bring him back to life? I saw him do it to Vision after Wanda destroyed the stone. It may be our only chance.”

Loki shrugged, “It’s possible though I’m not sure I should. I’ll have to consult my sister.”

“I can’t believe the bastard went down like that,” Widow muttered, “It’s too easy.”

“Despite his strength, he was only mortal after all,” Loki mused, “And everything must die. I only regret that I did not get the chance to take his head.”

As the flames died down the Captain and Widow grudgingly decided to go help the rodent look for the Titan’s corpse. ‘Best to be certain he was dead’ they said, and Loki silently agreed. He watched the Captain throw stones and pieces of rubble outside the crater but made no move to help. It wasn’t his fault things had gone so explosively.

“Over here,” The Rat called, waving the Captain over to a fallen building wall, “I smell burnt flesh under there.” The Captain nodded and dug his fingers under the flipping it over.

The Titan’s corpse was face down, but even from outside the crater he could smell it. It was putrid. The blackened, scorched flesh of Thanos wasn’t any better to look at.  
The Captain knelt and put his hand to the Titan’s throat, checking for a pulse.

“He’s dead.”

Loki felt the tension drain from his shoulders. That was one problem taken care of, now they just needed the gauntlet and then Hela could decide if they needed Thanos alive to reverse the effects of the snap.

From the Titan’s blackened face his eye snapped open. He shot up and grabbed the Captain by the neck flinging him across the crater like a doll. On his right hand, the gauntlet gleamed in the light of the smoldering flames.

“You!” He laughed out as the Titan’s eyes came to rest on Loki, “I thought I killed you already trickster.”

Loki froze. There was no way. This wasn’t possible. And then the scene around them evaporated into a storm of bubbles.

When the world came back into focus they were standing in the Titan’s rudimentary shack as the Titan rested on a stool. The Captain was unconscious against a wall bruises littering his face.

“You…How?” Loki started. Around him, the Raccoon lost no time as he drew his gun and began to fire. The Titan merely rolled his eyes as the gauntlet glowed red and the gun disappeared in the flutter of butterfly wings. The Rodent hissed and leaped back. Thanos latched onto his front paw. His muscles tensed, and he squeezed. The Raccoon screamed out in pain as something snapped.

“You traveled with my daughter,” Thanos murmured, “For that, you will live.” Thanos slammed the Raccoon into the ground and then lifted his limp body and tossed it next to the limp form of Steve Rogers. Loki couldn’t see Natasha behind him, but he hoped to the Norns that she was planning their escape.

“Reality is a funny thing,” Thanos rumbled, “For example, I remember snapping your neck,” The Titan snapped his left hand for emphasis. Loki flinched. “And leaving you and your brother to the cold arms of space. But it seems your title is not so undeserved after all god of mischief.”

Then Thanos moved. His bulky frame hid his speed well and Loki was already diving away trying to summon a dagger. The Titan grabbed him by his leg and lifted him. Loki craned his neck up to look at the Titan. This was undignified Loki’s mind spluttered in outrage. Now really wasn’t the time to be worried about appearances Loki shot back at his subconscious.

“I won’t make the same mistake twice puny god. This time you’ll stay dead,” Thanos wrapped one hand around Loki’s neck and shifted him so he could look him in the eye, “The Other did warn you all those years ago. There would be no place to hide from me and I, unlike some, keep my oaths.”

Loki kicked weakly, trying to cringe away from the Titan’s grasp. He could feel his windpipe start to close as the hand tightened. He choked out weakly in the direction he hoped the Widow and the rat were, “Call Thor in call Thor in right now!”

Darkness crept into his vision. All he could think was not again. After all his planning, after everything he sacrificed, this could not be the end. He refused. He refused to die like this a second time. The world wasn’t making sense anymore. He swore the room was spinning and he couldn’t see, everything was so fuzzy. He didn’t remember death taking so long last time. He’d promised his brother though…his sister too he thought groggily

Why…

why was… Thor?

Yes…Thor… taking

taking… so long?

“I suggest you unhand my brother right now unless you wish to suffer a fate worse than death.” A melodic voice flowed from somewhere outside his vision. Then something crashed into Thanos and Loki was met with open air.

He slammed into something firm. He waited for his gravity to inevitably bring him crashing to the ground. It didn’t. After a few gasping breathes that burned all the way down to his lungs, his brain seemed to come back online. When he finally blinked his eyes open the room spun around him. He tried to focus on the golden blob in front of him.

“Loki?” Someone called, “Loki,” again it was more persistent and sounded vaguely familiar, “Loki.”

Something slapped across his face and he jolted into consciousness only to find himself in Thor’s arms. He felt his face redden as he realized he was clutched like a maiden to Thor’s chest. The embarrassment quickly receded and was replaced with anger when he realized Thor had just slapped him. He’d almost died, and Thor slapped him! He growled and glared at Thor. His eyes finally focusing in on Thor’s features as he struggled to sit up.

“Don’t look at me like that she did it!” Thor said pointing to his left. Loki followed his finger and found Hela in her full battle armor minus her rather inspired helmet.

She smirked at him as Thor set him back on his feet, “Back with the living I see.”

Loki blinked and took in more of the room. He could feel the unspoken anger radiating off Thor. The only reason he wasn’t ringed in lightning now was that he had been holding Loki. Hela was more subdued, but he could tell by her stance she was contained rage just waiting to be released.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Widow slinging the Captain over her shoulder with the Raccoon tucked under her arm. She slunk to the window and disappeared into the outside. She was moving him away from the battle zone Loki realized. It was a good call, especially with Hela and Thor here. She’d done as he asked and called in the gods she would be a fool to not run very far away. He hoped she gave the same message to the man in Stark’s armor. He had a feeling this was going to get very bloody.

He held a hand up rubbing gently at his neck. He can’t believe he almost died again. His eyes locked back on Thanos to his shock Thanos had one of the Hulk’s fist clutched in his hand as his other hand wiped away the blood from a split lip.

“So, you came back for a second round then?” Thanos asked his eyes circling the room, “Or third for some.” He said his eyes meeting Thor’s.

The Hulk snarled at him and let out a battle cry of: “For Angry Girl!” Before he was once again lost in a barrage of green fists. Loki would have winced, except it was far too satisfying to see the green monster pummel him. Thor agreed if his bloodthirsty smile was anything to go from.

“Enough!” The Titan roared knocking the Hulk back and blocking the barrage, “I should have known someone would come. Prophets are never appreciated in their time.” He rolled his shoulders then straightened to his full height. The gauntlet glowed blue and the Hulk was sent careening backwards into a portal. Thor flew forward to try to catch him, but it was too late. The portal closed with a small blip.

“Where did you send him?” Thor demanded.

“Somewhere to cool his head,” The Titan said primly, dusting off his ragged tunic, “I don’t expect you to believe me, but I have no interest in killing you.”

“I’m afraid that’s too bad,” Hela said speaking up, “Because I have every intention of killing you.” She ran a hand over her hair, her black horned helmet appeared.

“And who might you be?” Thanos asked with genuine interest.

“I am the Goddess of Death,” Hela said flicking her wrist and summoning one of her blades to her hand, “And you just tried to strangle my little brother, you hypocritical son of a bitch!” Then Hela was dancing. She was dancing a deadly waltz.

Loki was carefully propped against Thor as the two of them watched in wonder as their sister moved. They’d both seen her fight in Asgard, but it was infinitely apparent to Loki now that she hadn’t been trying. Here she was all grace and deadly precision, not a movement wasted. He could tell by Thor’s stiffness that he’d noticed too.

Thanos dodged her sword blade by mere centimeters as he backed away, “Hela Odinsdottir, Goddess of Death. Yes, I’ve heard of you, the first of Odin’s egotistical spawn then.” Hela roared and rushed him, a flurry of slashes, “But with those two over there,” His eyes flickered over Thor and Loki, “You must be the one he put out of its misery three thousand years ago. Tell me how di-“ Thanos was cut off as Hela stabbed him through the throat.

“Shut up!” She hissed.

Thanos coughed and the gauntlet glowed an eerie green as time looped backwards and the Titan healed his throat. “I thought that an incarnation of death would be able to understand the balance I was trying to bring to the world.”

“You fool you’ve unbalanced everything.” Hela growled, “You’ve stepped into domains you could not hope to have any understanding of. Only a lunatic would attempt to alter the natural order of things.”

With that declaration, Hela charged again. It was beautiful as death incarnate dove into battle. Her black hair a mass of movement around her as she swung at the Titan’s arm. Thanos dodged right and suddenly there was a blade in Hela’s other hand as she followed him. The Titan ducked and weaved avoiding his sister’s swords and backing away.

“It had to be done!” Thanos growled, “It was my fate.”

Hela laughed a cold dark bubbling thing, "Don't speak to me of fate. Fuck fate!" Hela said as she plunged one of her swords into his right shoulder blade.

The Titan blinked as he grasped the sword. He pulled it out inch by inch as Hela stared unblinkingly at him. A smile crawled its way onto his face as the sword dropped to the ground with a metallic clang, “I’ll tell you the same thing I told your brother. You should have gone for the head!”

Thanos lunged. He yanked Hela by the hair and fully pulled on the gauntlet. Pressing the infinity stones to the side of her face, “I do wonder how many times I will have to kill the King of Asgard’s siblings. It’s getting a bit tiresome.” Hela snarled at him.

The gauntlet flashed purple and the Titan smiled, “I’m sure you know how this feels King of Asgard,” Thanos said mockingly as he pressed the stone further into her skull or at least he tried to. The Titan frowned and looked down at his hostage. His features shifted into disbelief as Hela failed to scream or beg. Instead, all that met him was laughter. Hela’s howling laughter.  
  
“That’s not possible,” The Titan let out. The power stone rested harmlessly against her skin. The power crackled against her, but as fast as it disintegrated her body her skin knit itself back together.  
  
Hela smiled a smile that was all teeth, “Darling you have no idea what’s possible.” With that, she shifted her weight and flung the Titan over her shoulder and through the side of the house.

“Don’t just stand there move!” Hela ordered as Loki scrambled to his feet, “And remember your promise little trickster,” She said her eyes falling on Thor’s confused face. Loki gulped he got the message. He remembered the conditions of their deal.  
  
"I am not Odin, I would not lie about this," Loki promised softly. Hela nodded once and then disappeared out of the Thanos shaped hole she had so graciously created. Thor looked between him and at the exit Hela had made.

“Brother you’re injured stay here. I’ll assist Hela in any way I can.”

Loki wanted to argue, he was sure Thor would give in. But Thor was flying out of the building his axe clasped in his hand before Loki could even open his mouth. Wonderful, Loki thought exasperated as he kicked the dirt floor of the Titan’s hovel. He was the one Thanos had killed and he wasn’t even getting front row seats to the purple bastard’s death.

He could hear the crash of battle from outside. The roar of rage and thunder as his siblings struck down their enemy with extreme prejudice. He sighed. This was just typical, he did all the work and didn’t even get the chance to see the reward. It was the least he deserved considering it was his plan. Loki ignored the protests from his body as he stumbled out to the front porch. He found a rocking chair next to the door and promptly collapsed in it. The chair swayed slightly under the sudden weight.

Ah, the view out here was much better Loki mused as he watched the sky flash with lightning and rumble with thunder. He could distantly make out Thor’s form darting about the sky and see dashes of black that could only be Hela’s swords.

Loki waved his hand and summoned a raven from the shadows. If he could not physically be present, he could at least mentally be present for what was to come. The raven flew off towards the sounds of battle, dodging lightning bolts as it went.

For all the trouble Thanos had caused the universe his final fight wasn’t very long. It was however very brutal.

Hela summoned her legion of swords and Thor had the very sky itself ablaze with white electricity. There was nowhere for the Titan to run. Every time he tried to activate the gauntlet he found Thor’s axe and Hela moving swiftly to slice him. He lost ground quickly.

One misplaced step as he tried to use the gauntlet and Hela had cut clean through his hamstring. It wasn’t pretty but inch by inch Hela was taking her pound of flesh. Soon enough the Titan couldn’t even move. Then, then it was over. Hela had him laid out like a pin cushion. Her swords jammed into every inch of presentable flesh.

Thanos groaned in pain beneath her. Hela nodded once to Thor. The Thunder God raised his axe with a vicious smile as the lightning followed his path. Hela’s swords acted as lightning rods and the Titan’s screams were drowned out by the thunder. When Thor made it over to Thanos’s form he swung his axe with a certain finality. In one stroke it cleaved the Titan’s head from his body.

* * *

 

Thor and Hela sat panting next to the Titan’s body. The left-over adrenaline from battle and the joy of winning leaving the two of them in a pleasant non-argumentative state. Loki even swore he saw Thor smile at Hela. It made him feel guilty for what he would have to do.

His siblings didn’t notice as Loki crept up to Thanos’s body. Loki delicately lifted the Gauntlet from the Titan’s corpse. He was sure to keep the charred flesh and coagulating blood off his clothing. It brought him a certain vindictive pleasure to know that his siblings had quite literally cooked Thanos alive. It would bring him even more to stomp all over the Titan’s life goal with the very tool he had created.

The gauntlet was different than he remembered it, far from its shining splendor when it gripped his neck and choked the life out of him. The metal was corroded and worn thin in some places. If he had to guess no one would get more than one more snap out of it. He would have to make this one count. He slid it on and watched in wonder as the most powerful tool in the universe shrank until it firmly fit around his hand. Dwarven weapons really were amazing.  
  
“Loki what are you doing?” Alarm rang out in his brother’s voice as Thor stumbled to his feet, “Put the gauntlet down!”

He ignored him.

Hela merely watched with interest. Her lips were upturned in a challenge.

At the edge of the clearing Thor’s friends began to appear. First, it was the man in the robotic suit who landed and then the Widow and the injured creeping out from wherever they were. When their eyes landed on the gauntlet on his hand they all stood ramrod straight as they moved towards him. Anger and betrayal marked their every motion. Loki wanted to laugh, as much as he wanted to think he was back to tricking Thor and company. This wasn’t what it looked like at all.  
  
Loki raised his hand and snapped.

There was a flash, a rush of power, and the gauntlet shattered.

Pain. It hurt.

By the Norns it bloody fucking hurt!

Shards flew everywhere embedding themselves into whatever was nearest. Loki hissed as some pieces found their way into his arm and ribcage. But it was nothing compared to the painful reminder that the infinity stones burned into his skin. He didn’t dare look at his arm as he clutched it tighter to his body.

Without their vessel, the infinity stones scattered to the ground around him. The six most powerful conduits in the universe sparkled innocently as he stared down at them. They would almost be pretty if they weren’t so terrifying.

He sank to his knees, trying to keep his mind focused and block out the pain. Loki blinked and then Thor was there standing in front of him. His axe in one hand his other gripping the front of his armor as he held him up. There was fear and adrenaline in his blue eye as he searched for answers. And then there was doubt and Loki hated that.

“What the Hel did you do?!” He demanded, whirling around as if he expected everyone to fade away one by one.  
  
“Oh,” Hela let out in a small voice.

Thor turned his head to stare. Hela stood her mouth slightly parted in surprise. Her battle armor dissipated and the sword in her hand dropped to the ground with a clatter.  
  
Loki met her eyes and then shifted down her form. Her legs began to fade, her ashes falling around her like snow, spiraling out before disappearing.  
  
“So, this is what it feels like, death,” A small smile appeared on her face, "Thank you." It was no more than a whisper, but Loki heard. He heard every syllable.  
  
“It was my honor.” He whispered back. She nodded and let out one more sigh, “Goodbye sister.”

“Goodbye.”

Nothing but dust remained.  
  
He couldn’t tear his eyes from the place his sister once stood. Thor was shaking him now. He could feel it. It reverberated down his body and his right side protested, violently. If he would have been in better spirits he would have laughed as he promptly turned his head to the side and vomited all over Thor.

He heard Thor screaming something at him, but he couldn’t quite make out the words. He stared. Thor stared back. Then he set him down and sat beside him.

Slowly the world seemed to come back into focus. The air was no longer spinning around, and Thor seemed to be speaking a language he could understand. That was good. At least now if Thor was going to kill him, he'd know what insults were being thrown at him as he died. Thor's friends, the Avengers, they seemed to be keeping a safe distance. Eyeing the gods warily, but not approaching. They probably had no idea what happened. Typical.

"Why would you do that Loki?" Thor asked quietly from beside him. Huh, he had expected a lot more yelling maybe some lightning and a hammer thrust in his chest. That was right his mind supplied there was no hammer. Then again both the Titan and Hela were dead so maybe Thor was in a good mood despite the vomit.  
  
“We had a deal. My life in exchange for hers.”

Thor stopped jostling him and stared his mouth agape. Seemed he still had it in him to surprise his brother after all. He couldn’t find it in himself to grin right now though.

“But she…” Thor started as his eyes found the place his sister had last stood, “Why would she?”

"Thor, what the fuck is going on?!" The Rodent blurted out. He seemed like the bravest of the group, pulling their attention back to the Avengers in the clearing. At first, Loki thought they were asking why he murdered his sister. But, then his mouth fell open as he watched his sister's ashes rise from the ground.

“That didn’t happen last time.” The Rat muttered.

It couldn’t be…He’d been so certain if there was one force in the universe that could kill death it would be the infinity stones.  
  
“No,” He murmured to himself. This could be bad. This could be very bad.

“Loki?” Thor’s voice rising into a question.  
  
The ashes rose and scattered, dividing and spreading. This made no sense. He turned to Thor hoping he would have some idiotic idea that might at least hint at what was going on. He looked just as flabbergasted as everyone else.  
  
Loki watched in horror as his sister's remains shifted. The grey ash floated, swirling around slowly. It might have been oddly beautiful if Loki didn't know what it meant. If his sister survived this… if his word was broken to her. He had no doubt she would kill Thor and no amount of empathy for him or words would stop her. She hated liars after all. He stared as Hela's remains condensed and-

Took the form of a small tree?  
  
“Hela?” Loki asked as the ashes shifted from grey back into a full range of greens and browns decorating the humanoid tree.  
  
“I am Groot!”

And in an instant, the Raccoon had shed himself of all his weapons and launched himself at the tree. Thor's face broke out into a smile. The first true smile Loki had seen from his brother since he returned from the dead. And it was over a tree creature, that's just typical. Loki rolled his eyes.  
  
“Don’t you ever flarkin’ do that to me again young man!” The Raccoon yelled as he clutched the sapling.  
  
It seemed his sister’s remains weren’t quite done. The next person to reform was a muscular soldier dressed in blue. The man was missing an arm Loki noted, but past that and his scrappy demeanor, nothing seemed to be out of place.

“Steve? What’s going on? Where am I? I thought for sure I was dead this—” The man was cut off when the Captain flung himself forward and into the other man’s arms.  
  
“Buck!”  
  
More and more faces followed. Including a confused man with what appeared to have mechanical wings strapped to his back. The Captain and company swarmed around him quickly enough.

Next was a grey alien from a species Loki didn't recognize, a man who looked like a Midgardian dressed in an overly dramatic red coat, a woman with odd antenna, and to Loki's horror, Thanos's favorite daughter.

“Gamora!” He hissed. He was on his feet with his dagger in his good hand before he could even process what was happening. Thor was in front of him just as quickly. His hand resting on his uninjured side.

“Relax Loki,” Thor reassured him, “She’s with the morons.”

Loki had no idea what his brother was talking about until the man in the red coat rushed forward and sweep Thanos’s favorite daughter into a… kiss. He felt like throwing up, again. He turned his head to the side and sat back down. All this sentiment was making him nauseous. He hoped all of Midgard’s disappeared weren’t going to show up on this forsaken planet. He certainly wasn’t going to transport them back to their planet.

“What did you ask the gauntlet to do?” Thor murmured quietly. He understood what his brother was asking. The hidden question within the question.

“I asked it to bring them back. To bring them all back. I suggest we go and get them.”

* * *

 

The idiots who introduced themselves as the Guardians of the Galaxy –a bit presumptuous of them really considering they were all dead when his plan saved the galaxy– seemed to have a way off Lea. They made a series of calls and within the hour the night sky was lite with the searchlights of Ravagers.

“I will be commandeering one of these vessels,” Thor said plainly to the red-coated man who introduced himself as, pfft, Star-lord. It took everything in Loki to not scoff as the man tried to stand up tall and glower at Thor despite being several inches shorter and much flabbier. It was a bit like a puppy trying to growl at a wolf.

“You already took my pod and half my crew,” Star-lord glowered, finger jammed into Thor’s chest, “And given what Rocket was telling me you couldn’t even take care of those. Groot got snapped! Why should I get you another ship to bust up?”

“Peter,” Thanos’s daughter said in warning as she slid up next to him and put an arm around his waist. The man broke out in an instant, highly infectious smile as he turned towards the woman a lovestruck expression on his face.

“Ehh, Quill let him have it. He’s had a rough couple of weeks,” The Raccoon agreed, padding up from behind, “Besides if you thought he was bad. His emo brother over there is way worse and he’s glaring holes in your shirt.”

The man tentatively turned around. Loki gave him the best imitation of Hela’s smile he could muster. The man stepped back in fear. Loki’s grin widened.

“Okay, okay it’s yours. Kraglin will let you borrow one. He said throwing a set of key codes at Thor.” The rest of the man’s crew snickered.

They were preparing to leave and head back to Asgard’s vicinity to see if the Ark had returned fully intact when one of Thanos’s O-ring ships entered the atmosphere.

“State your purpose or we’ll blast you out of the sky,” Quill threatened from the Ravager commander’s intercom.

“Quill?” The voice asked tentatively.

“Nebula?!” Then Quill was quickly shoved out of the way as Thanos’s daughter took the communication device.

“Sister!”

Norns now there were two of Thanos’s children on this planet he really needed to leave. He glanced nervously at Thor who merely winked at him. Loki frowned. Thor must know something he didn’t and that irked him to no end. He felt his body relax. Thor wouldn’t be playing games like this if he didn’t have a firm grasp of the situation. So, whatever it was he knew. These people must not be a threat to them.

“Is it true our father is dead?” The voice on the other end of the line rasped.

“Yes, you can come and see his corpse for yourself. I’m thinking of mounting his head on a spike if you would like to join me.”

“Gladly.” The ship overhead slowed its descent before coming to a full hovering stop. The bottom of the ship opened with a hiss as a beam of light carried the passengers down.

Out of the bright column stepped four figures. There stood a bruised and battered Tony Stark held up between a boy dressed in spider armor and -Loki shivered- Nebula. Loki’s eyes narrowed, behind them stood a silhouette with a cape and overly high cheekbones.

“You!” Loki snarled at the sham Midgardian wizard. Loki had his dagger in hand and was already diving at the man for the well-deserved, if perhaps delayed, stabbing he owed him. He may not have been able to get his revenge directly against Thanos but this, this he could handle. The wizard blinked at him and opened his mouth to speak-

Loki was jolted out of his movement as Thor grabbed the back of his armor and lifted him off the ground to keep him from going after the wizard.

“That’s quite enough of that.”

“Put me down this instant you imbecile!”

“No, I don’t think I will.” With that Thor heaved Loki over his shoulders like a sack and headed for the ship they had been promised. Loki spat every curse in every language he could think of at Thor to the raised eyebrows of everyone around them. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Stark put his hands over the Spider-boy’s ears and the sentient tree taking notes. Behind him, the wizard smirked smugly and raised his hand in a small wave.

Next time bastard. Loki then raised both his middle fingers in what Thor had once told him was the universal sign of disrespect on Midgard.

* * *

 

In Loki’s opinion the small ship took far too long to reach Asgardian Space; if it could even truly be called that when Asgard was no more. They flew the ship through two hundred consecutive jump points, Thor’s choice not his own, and it still felt like they were trapped in the ship for days. Granted after they had fed the computer system their coordinates Thor had spent a good amount of that time fussing over him. Even after Loki assured him that his seidr would heal the wound. None the less, Thor insisted in wrapping the damage caused by the gauntlet. Loki kept his eyes tightly shut through the ordeal. He’d look at his arm soon, but not yet. When Thor finally finished Loki’s right side looked like something out of the horror stories the palace maids told late at night. A patchwork of differently sized bandages and wrappings he’d dug out of the ship’s emergency bay. This look certainly wasn’t doing his vanity any favors.

Loki made sure to complain about how much it hurt quite vocally, and Thor was quick as always with a sympathetic look and a “What can I do for you brother?” Loki preened internally. He could get used to being waited on hand and foot by the King of Asgard, this might be even better than when he was posing as Odin. All the perks and none of the responsibilities.

Despite all of Thor’s cheery nursing, there was tension in the air. What awaited them near the ruins of Asgard was a question even he did not know the answer to. And underlying everything was their sister’s death. Loki still didn’t know what to make of his emotions and he didn’t have the energy to suss out what Thor might be feeling. His brother made no more comments about their sister, so, Loki didn’t either. He would let it all slide for now. They had more important matters to attend to.

When they entered the last jump point. Loki could feel Thor’s apprehension. It tingled like the electricity in the air. Loki felt nausea stir in the pit of his stomach. It really couldn’t be any worse than the last time they were there could it? He told himself before realizing his luck was so bad he shouldn’t be tempting fate with such open-ended questions.

The light around the ship died as they slowed down, and the stars came into focus, familiar stars. These were the stars of their childhood, the ones he could recite their names by heart. He felt so lost in that moment. Asgard may never be again and Asgard’s descendants may never know these skies again.

Thor rested his hand over his uninjured arm and he jumped, glancing over at his brother.

“Beautiful aren’t they.” Thor murmured, tears gathering in his real eye, “I never knew it was possible to miss stars this much.” Loki swallowed thickly and nodded.

“Homesickness may be something we will have to grow accustomed too.”  
Loki piloted the ship as Thor went to the windows to silently compose himself. If their people were returned it would never do to have them see their king beaten down so low by the mere scenery.

Half an hour later Thor was back in the co-pilot seat as the flew towards what remained of Asgard. “I’ve been thinking about what the Titan said,” Loki grunted for Thor to continue, “He said he sent Banner somewhere cold, what if it’s Jotunheim?”

“Thor there are millions of planets that could fit the description of cold. Why would it be Jotunheim?”

Thor shrugged, “Just thinking perhaps fortune’s tide had changed and she was smiling upon us. You could check brother, if he is nearby we could go pick him up. Jotunheim is not far.”

“After,” He huffed, “We see if the Ark is there and then we see to Banner after.”

They flew around a cluster of asteroids and there, there were the shattered remains of Asgard. Loki’s heart clenched.

What was left of the great palace and architecture now floated gracelessly; Trees and wildlife forever frozen by the vacuum of space. They slowed to a hover taking in the remains of their civilization.

“There!” Thor cried pointing.

Loki swung his head around and the air left his lungs.

There it was in all its terribly made rustic splendor, the Asgardian refugee ship he’d stolen from the Grandmaster, their Ark.

* * *

 

They wasted no time docking their borrowed ship atop of the Ark. They were met at sword point once they entered by a very angry Valkyrie. Thor wasted no time tackling her. Soon enough the two of them were laughing and wrestling on the floor. Loki couldn’t have been more embarrassed.

“Ai mate looks like you’ve seen a ghost. Isn’t that right Miek?” The Kronan remarked upon their reunion. He then promptly grabbed Thor, Valkyrie, and himself and lifted them into an invigorated hug. When he set them down and Thor went to go discuss the state of the Ark with Valkyrie in hushed whispers, the Kronan took one look at Loki and said, “You look pale. Here I have just the thing to help. Take this pamphlet.” A small scrap of paper was shoved into his hands, “I’m starting a social revolution you should come to our meetings.”

“Err- I’ll have to think about it,” Loki said hastily as he retreated into the throng of people behind him who were singing praises at the return of their king. He slunk off to the side of the ship, leaning against the wall and trying to catch his breath. He could keep the smile off his face. He’d done it. His plan it had succeeded. He’d done for Thor what Thor couldn’t do for himself and got back nearly everything they’d lost.

“My prince,” A very familiar voice said next to him. Loki cast his eyes around and found Heimdall’s golden eyes, “Your mother would be proud.”

It was all Loki could do to keep his composure at that, so he did what he did best and deflected, “Can you help me find someone Heimdall? The green beast he was portaled off Norn’s know where in the last fight we had against the Titan.”

Heimdall nodded once and then seemed to gaze off into nothing, “The one you seek is on Jotunheim.”

Well wasn’t that convenient, Loki wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he also wasn’t going to be the one to tell Thor he was right. No, it was much better if he went by himself and picked Banner up promptly. If he didn’t have to deal with the crowd of elated people or his feelings that was just a bonus.

* * *

 

The festivities on Midgard ran on for days. The entire planet aglow in happiness. Loki was tolerated by Thor’s friends. The rodent, who now had his paw carefully wrapped in plaster, had even come over to thank him.

The Racoon started with a gruff, “I’m Rocket, I’m not a Raccoon and if you ever call me one I’ll shove my plasma gun so far up your sphincter you’ll feel your stomach,” Loki snorted but merely sorted his face into a mildly impressed look. The Raccoon stared at him for a minute, no doubt looking for some clue to Loki’s thoughts when he didn’t find any he continued, “You aren’t nearly as weaselly as you look. You might not be a pirate angel, but you’re all right in my book. If you ever want a break from these goody two shoes,” The rodent thumbed at the Avenger’s behind him, “Come find us.”

He might have considered the offer if when he followed the rodent’s gaze he found the grey man and antenna woman dancing terribly on the table with minimal clothing. No thank you he thought. It would take centuries for him to wipe the embarrassment of association if he went with them. Besides he shivered he had no interest in ever being near one of Thanos’s children again.

Sometime late into the evening as the Wakandian palace settled down Thor came and found him. Loki was tucked away with a glass of wine in a corner as he watched the people trickle home. He raised a questioning eyebrow at his brother when he pulled a chair over and sat in front of him. He pulled two steins of mead out from somewhere and handed one to Loki. His mismatched eyes unusually focused.

When Loki didn’t make a move to drink, Thor said, “You might want that, Valkyrie managed to save some Asgardian liquor.

“How did she-”

“I’ve learned it’s best not to question her methods. This might well be the last we ever drink from Asgard.” Thor’s voice cracked.

“I suppose it is our duty then.” Loki said setting aside his wine glass and raising the stein, “In memory.” He toasted.

“In memory,” Thor echoed.

Loki took a long pull, sat, and waited for Thor to talk.

“It seems,” Thor paused and took a steadying breath, “I was wrong about our sister. I did not know her very well. I should not have said those things to her. It seems I have the unfortunate gift of saying horrible things to my siblings before they die.”  
  
“Thor—”  
  
“No Loki, listen. I want to thank you for coming back. Without you and Hela none of this would have been possible.” His brother gestured around them, a fond smile on his face.  
  
“I did promise you the sun would shine on us again.”  
  
“Aye, you did. If you keep up the honesty we may have to change your title.” Thor teased, “Loki, God of integrity and trustworthiness!”  
  
Loki grimaced, “No thank you. One time does not make a pattern.”  
  
“No, but twice does.” Loki had the very strong urge to stab him right then. His brother’s next few words stopped him cold, “I’m thinking of building a statue for our sister. Something for others to pay tribute to for her sacrifice.” Thor rambled, “I don’t know if it’s what she would have wanted, but then again I didn’t know her very well.” Thor eyed him expectantly, the unasked question palpable.  
  
“Yes, I think she would have liked that. We were a bit more alike than even initial appearances and tastes let on and she did want history to remember her. I’m not sure how our people will take it though and you’re going to have to explain this to Valkyrie.”

Thor shuddered, “I’m sure she’ll understand.”

Loki raised an eyebrow.

“Okay she won’t,” He conceded, “but as long as we put it somewhere without any alcohol she’s not very likely to see it.”

“Very sneaky brother. Are you sure you aren’t still after my title?”

Thor laughed, deep and throaty. Loki felt a pleasant warmth spread inside him. He had almost forgotten what that sounded like. It was reminiscent of their much younger days.

"Perhaps someday. I fear I would not have the time to do justice to the title right now.” Thor clapped him on his uninjured shoulder. A look of hope in his eyes, “After all, we've much work to do."

“Indeed, we do.” Loki smiled, and they would do it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hah! Yes, yes I did finish this and get to write Thanos’s death scene twice. It was poetic justice after what he did to vision!
> 
> So just to clarify why people showed up where they did. Rather than having them be restored where they died which would mean for most of the guardians, Strange, and Peter Titan. I had them show up where the person that would miss them the most was. So, for Bucky, Sam, and the guardians, it was on their current planet. For Wanda, it was with Vision and for Peter, it was with Tony. Yes, Vision is alive in this universe because magical fixing snap. If I brought back Gamora there was no way I was leaving Vision behind. Though that's all kind of off scene. I was undecided about Strange he'd probably show up unexpectedly next to Wong and freak him out, but it was just to fun to write Loki being petty so I had him show up with Tony. Also, Valkyrie and Korg weren't even supposed to show up in this, but they just wrote themselves in and I couldn't stop them. In fact neither were Tony, Peter and Nebula, oh well, have your full-on fix it.
> 
> If any of you were wondering why Loki didn’t just bring Asgard back with the gauntlet I have to admit it was tempting. But Loki was already staring down two impossible feats killing Hela and bringing returning the dead to life, he didn’t want to risk Asgard too. He’d rather have their people back alive without the planet than have neither and not get the chance to use the infinity stones again. Or at least that was my vein of thinking since they didn’t know exactly what command Thanos gave the gauntlet when he snapped.
> 
> Anyways thank you for sticking with me through this full story I hope you enjoyed. I know I certainly had a lot of fun writing the troublesome Odin sibling and I have some other ideas for stories with them poking around in my head.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: So this is my response to Loki's death scene. I really do hope that his death has some role in the next movie. Also I didn't put the Hulk in because I couldn't remember exactly how that part of the movie went so just assume that Banner has already been sent to Earth courtesy of Heimdall. Also I've been meaning to write a fic with more Hela, Loki, and Thor interaction I felt like it's currently a little under-explored in the fandom so this hits two birds with one stone. The title is from the Emily Dickinson Poem by the same name. This story has not been Beta read so all mistakes are my own. As always please read and review!


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